1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a Plasma Display Panel (PDP), and more particularly, to a flat PDP in which an image is displayed using light generated by ultraviolet rays generated in a discharge space by supplying a predetermined voltage to opposing electrodes arranged between opposing substrates when a discharge gas fills a space formed between the opposing substrates.
2. Description of the Related Art
PDP flat display devices show promise as next generation display devices due to their high image quality, compact dimensions, light weight, wide viewing angle, and relatively simple manufacturing process even for large screen sizes.
Current types of PDPs include Alternating Current (AC) PDPs, Direct Current (DC) PDPs, and hybrid PDPs. AC PDPs and DC PDPs can be either face discharge PDPs or surface discharge PDPs according to their structure.
DC PDPs have a structure in-which all of the electrodes are exposed in a discharge space, and charges directly migrate between corresponding electrodes. AC PDPs have a structure in which at least one electrode is covered by a dielectric layer, and charges do not move directly between the corresponding electrodes but rather a discharge is generated by wall charges.
Recently, AC PDPs, especially those having a three-electrode surface discharge structure, have been used to avoid the problem of electrode damage in DC PDPs due to the direct migration of charges between electrodes.
In an AC three-electrode surface discharge PDP, such as that discussed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,753,645, an AC three-electrode surface discharge PDP includes a front panel and rear panel.
The rear panel includes address electrodes that generate an address discharge, a rear dielectric layer that covers the address electrodes, a plurality of barrier ribs that define discharge cells, a phosphor layer coated onto both the side walls of the barrier ribs and the rear panel between the barrier ribs.
The front panel, facing the rear panel, includes X and Y electrodes that generate a sustain discharge, a front dielectric layer that covers the X and Y electrodes, and a protective layer. The X electrode can include a transparent X electrode, and a bus X electrode on one side of the transparent X electrode to avoid a voltage loss in the transparent X electrode. The Y electrode can include a corresponding transparent Y electrode and bus Y electrode.
However, in the PDP, visible light is generated in the discharge space and must pass through the transparent X electrode, the bus X electrode, the transparent Y electrode, the bus Y electrode, the front dielectric layer, and the protective layer, formed on the front panel. This reduces the transmittance of the visible light to approximately 60%.
Also, in the surface discharge PDP, electrodes that generate discharge are formed on the upper surface of the discharge space, that is, the inner surface of the front panel. For this reason, the discharge begins at the inner surface of the front panel and diffuses into the discharge space, thereby reducing the light emission efficiency.
Furthermore, in the surface discharge PDP, permanent latent images can form due to the sputtering of charged ions of the discharge gas by the electric field to the phosphor layer after long hours of operation.